Change in Group Management and Board of Directors of Lindt & Sprüngli - Seite 2

"Lindt & Sprüngli is in very good shape, so this is an ideal time to hand over the leadership to new hands," says Dieter Weisskopf. "I look back with pride and much pleasure on my many years of service to the Group and look forward to leading the company until towards the end of the year, continuing to accompany Lindt & Sprüngli as a member of the Board of Directors and devoting myself to new entrepreneurial activities."   

Adalbert Lechner becomes new Group CEO
The Group's new CEO will be the long-time CEO of the German subsidiary as well as Group Management member Adalbert Lechner. He joined the Lindt & Sprüngli Group in 1993. First as CEO of the Austrian subsidiary, then in 1997 he was appointed CEO of the German subsidiary. Under his leadership, the German subsidiary has developed into the largest company of the Group with extremely successful track record. He was a member of the Extended Group Management from 2011 until 2016. As of January 1, 2017 Adalbert Lechner is member of the Group Management and responsible, in addition to managing Lindt Germany, for the development of our northern and eastern Europe markets as well as the Global Retail/On-Line division. 

With this forward-looking succession planning at the top management of the Group, Lindt & Sprüngli is consistently continuing the long-term orientation of the company. Based on the long-standing and successful cooperation between Ernst Tanner and Adalbert Lechner, continuity, which plays an important role in the Lindt & Sprüngli Group, will be ensured and the course towards a prosperous future will be continued.

"I am very much looking forward to my new role as CEO of the Group and would like to thank the Board of Directors for their trust," says Adalbert Lechner. "Dieter Weisskopf hands over the company to me in excellent shape and expectations for the future development are high. I am happy to accept this challenge, as I can rely on an outstanding Management Team."

Ernst Tanner said: "I am proud of what the Management Team together with over 14,000 passionate and dedicated employees has achieved over the past decades and I am looking forward to a successful future. Thanks to our strong culture we have built a solid foundation to further strengthen our position as the world's leading premium chocolate company. I am very pleased that our company can hand over the CEO responsibilities to Adalbert Lechner, who will together with the Group Management and my support continue our success story."